Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professionals are usually up-to-date with all the latest technologies, gadgets, and industry trends. They are the early-adopters of new technologies and are keen to push the boundaries of the status quo in order to be more productive and efficient. They obtain vendor certifications and technical training and are constantly on the look out to improve or upgrade their technical skills and build their personal brand.

Enhance business and interpersonal competencies
Business and interpersonal competencies have become more and more invaluable for today’s dynamic ICT professionals as they are working in a global economy. It is just as important to pitch their ideas, negotiate timelines and deliverables, as it is to constantly focus on technical skills. How to lead and motivate their peers effectively, to address your boss’ expectations, their clients’ needs? It is essential that ICT professionals widen their scope of career development activities. These activities include training that takes them beyond the required technical development and vendor certifications, and focuses on enhancing their “people skills” to help them build strong relationships with their colleagues and clients.

Pave a career pathway
With the goal of helping an ICT Professional pave a career path for themselves, the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) is developing a professional ICT certification program, I-ADVANCE© that will certify technical skills, and also validate necessary business knowledge and interpersonal competencies.  The proposed competency based career pathway and certification program will act as a “stamp of approval” that employers can trust and enable them to:

• establish a career development pathway for  ICT professionals and aid with organisations’ succession planning
• upgrade and broaden the skills set of the existing pool of ICT resources to respond to rapidly changing economic needs and trends
• mitigate the risks of hiring by ensuring that an ICTC certified candidate has relevant work experience as well as technical, business and interpersonal skills

ICTC and its partners are working closely with industry and ICT professionals to design, develop and establish a solid career pathway and certification model. As an HR professional you can help shape the program by encouraging your ICT workforce to participate in the test development activities. Their experience and knowledge will prove invaluable in the creation of a world-class certification program.

If you are interested in learning more about this program and how you can contribute please contact ICTC at i-advance@ictc-ctic.ca or visit: http://www.ictc-ctic.ca/en/Content.aspx?id=2730.

Funded by the Government of Canada’s Sector Council Program.
Financé en partie par le Gouvernement du Canada par l’entremise du Programme des conseils sectoriels.